Eat from the Pantry Challenge Revisited

Blessings to all...Wondered if anyone wanted to try the Eat from the Pantry Challenge with me - or at least hold me accountable? My goal is to eat what is here and NOT run to the store except for dairy, eggs and maybe a few fresh veggies. I want to try to do this through July so I have more money to spend on produce to can. I pulled the next-to-last jar of tomato sauce out of the jelly cupboard and want to be able to have funds to do that all again. I think I may have missed out on strawberries this year (sigh!) but I am still on target for peaches, pickles, tomatoes, maybe even blueberries and such. I have a list of things I want to try, and if I ever remember to look for my pressure canner, I am praying to finally try to can green beans now while they are so very plentiful at a reasonable price.

The Great Valentine...

I was awakened this morning by sunlight streaming across my pillow. I wanted to pull the blanket back over my face, to stay snuggled in the warmth of my mattress and just be a tad bit lazy, but I looked over at my husband and realized that I had purposed to get up and prepare his breakfast and pack his lunch box before he headed off to work. Out of duty? Maybe. Out of love? Absolutely!
That may sound a little strange to some of you who have always done such things to bless your spouse. Early in our marriage his work schedule had awful hours -- he left for work at 4:30 and I was not that -- ahem -- ambitious enough to wake and see to his needs. I was too busy being selfish in part. Maybe a little sleepy. Maybe confused as to how the mechanics of our relationship should work, being newly wed and thus new to surrendering my will to another as one. Over the last few years I have finally learned that his understanding of love - his picture of true love - was demonstration through acts of service, and I have tried more often than not, barring sick days, to be just that type of wife. The wife he needs and desires. I hope I am succeeding.

Anyway, I had wanted so much to be a blessing to Les on this Valentine’s Day, and so I shrugged off the warmth of the covers and my slippers plodded softly down the stairs into the kitchen to begin my day by being a blessing to my husband, and where I was immediately grateful that love for my husband had prompted me awake.

Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day anyway? The holiday started centuries ago, originating from pagan rituals of fertility until it was Christianized in about the third century. These days we don’t really relate the holiday with anything religious, but we do ascribe sentiments of love, usually giving choice gifts to our sweetheart. That was what amazed me about this morning…

You see - He sent me a gift this morning -- a beautiful Valentine's Day sunrise – as if I were His sweetheart. It was extravagant, punctuating the space between the horizon and the far reaches of the heavens. I have been awake enough times to see the sun rise in my life, but this one was exceptional in the way that He painted the clear morning sky with swirling shades of pink fading into the heights of the azure sky closest to the stars. It was such an awesome sight, this gift of a sunrise, and it made me stop in a moment of thanks and feel the blessing wash over me as gratitude for something so pure and lovely that is often unnoticed or taken for granted. Just like His love…

It’s true – there are so many days when I pray and I think He loves me and know He loves me and it is just a deep truth that I say when I thank Him for His grace and provision and mercy. But how often do I reflect on what that really means, that love? I would venture to guess that when I was first introduced to that knowledge of His saving grace, when I first understood what it really meant to know Him in a way that I’d never known before, like that intimate connection that is prevalent in the closest and most cherished of relationships, I probably thought about it often and dwelled on it and turned it over in my mind. “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). How often do we hear it? How precisely can we quote it. But there is so much in that small verse…Such a powerful statement…He loved me. ME!

Sometimes it’s still such an astonishing thought when I think of the sinner that I am, selfish and always striving to be selfless, thankless and always striving to be thankful, never coming quite close enough to what I think I should be…impure and imperfect with little blotches of sin and stain that, though washed white by the Blood of the Lamb, still are visible to me every time I fail…I cannot always comprehend such love -- such unconditional and sacrificial and perfect and pure love. A love so great that it has no end.

I am reminded of Romans 8, where it says in verse two: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death…” Free. Love that produces freedom. I do not have to dwell on my failures. I am free. I am free. It takes a moment for it to sink in, for the simple truth of it to dawn on me once again, like a new revelation, only not new but merely rediscovered. Amazing. Grace. Oh! And after a moment, I realize it…Amazing grace. Set in to motion by His love…

And then in verses 14 and 15 we read: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Children. We are His children. Undeserved and selfish, but adopted as sons and daughters. Grafted in. Held in His Holy Hands. Adopted. What does that mean?? I think of my own adopted children – three daughters, two sons. How much I love them. How they are my own children. How I love them as much as I love my only biological son. Les and I have accepted them, knit them into the loving circle that is our family. Love….Again, that word. And I am adopted! Into His family. I am His child!!! I am loved by Our Father.

Verse 31 says: “…If God be for us, who can be against us?” What first comes to mind is His presence, always, that brings peace through His protection. His shelter and His banner, covering me with His love. Safety. Security. Peace in the midst of storms. I am reminded of the low points in my life when I was needed someone to protect me. How I often didn’t know where to turn in my imperfection for fear of being rejected. How there were times when I was scared and I didn’t know how things were going to play out in the drama of my life…How I needed a hero to rescue me from all that was tumbling around me. How I finally found all of that in Him! He became all for me because of His great and abiding love. I didn’t need to fear anything. He was there, carrying me through my troubles, bearing my burdens. Holding out His precious Hands for me to collapse into, weary with emotion and drained by life, and rest my very soul. He refreshed me. He gave me His shelter…protection. I was able to finally rest in His peace because He came to my rescue. Rescue...

Further I read, hungry and eager, the words filling my soul with truths that cannot be denied. I search. I seek. Ah…Verse 32 begins the beauty of it all – the miracle. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Gave up His Son…for us all. All. That means for me, too! I am not excluded. I am not forgotten. I am not left out of this great and perfect love. I am His child, saved by His grace, through the death of His Son. Grafted in and afforded His protection, His shelter, His mercy. Oh unspeakable and amazing joy!!! I think of my own children. How would it be to give up a child for love’s sake? Could I do it? Could I so selflessly let go of the little ones that I’ve raised, without hesitation? Could I bear to see their suffering, even while recalling all the precious moments I have savored and treasured in my heart? How could He do it? I look again at the words. He freely gave. For us all. Because of His great love for us. Oh, to really see that love, that perfect gift from the Father. To remember Him in that special moment and feel the truth of all these things sink into my soul…He has loved me with an everlasting love and I KNOW IT! My soul rejoices with this truth, this treasure that I hold to my heart and lock in there. I am loved! LOVED!!!!

The Need for Grace...

I open my Bible day after day and wonder. I read an article about His grace and mercy -- how it saved a man from addiction and sin, how it brought hope to a man condemned for murder, how it brought healing and forgiveness to a marriage scarred by adultry -- and suddenly I am so thirsty for it, hunger for it...I know I need it desperately. I turn page after page of the Book, seeking for the only words that can comfort me and give me hope.

I share with a friend that I am desperate for that grace, that forgiveness and blessed relief that can cleanse my soul and make me new again. I hear "How can you possibly need grace? What have you done that's been that bad? You're just busy." I guess on the outside, I look normal. I'm a wife. A mother. A member of the community. I go to church. The me that most people know seems okay. Everyone knows I am not perfect. I'm a little quiet at times, mistaken for shy in some situations. I have ideas that bubble forth that seem interesting. But internally I wrestle with myself. Almost daily. There is sin there. I know there is. Being a generally "good" person cannot hide it.

Not when I consider that there is no "sin scale" next to God. He does not measure a little white lie as a mere nothing and then measure taking His Name in vain as something far worse. No. The Ten Commandments are equal in value. God is perfect. He cannot live with sin. Not even what most people would consider something trifling. Sin is sin. It blackens the soul, spots that can only be removed through His Son, who gave His life to wash those specks and blotches and thick dark stains with the beauty of His blood.

It started in the Garden, when the serpent appealed to Eve and she and her spouse neglected to be obedient to the One who made them -- who blessed them with all kinds of beauty and treasure in that Garden. One tree was forbidden. Was it a test of their love for Him? Or merely a test of their obedience? Or was it a combination of those things? We should look to obey BECAUSE we love Him...Not because we have to. Because He did give us the freedom to choose...But Adam and Eve chose poorly, tricked and tempted by all the lusts of the flesh that we all struggle with daily. They were blinded to His Creation when they gave in to discontent, focusing on what they could not have rather than all of the things they could have.

It's easy to grow discontent when your main "job" is one that does not always produce immediate results. Being a stay-at-home wife and mother is harder than any corporate job could ever be. There are so many roles to embrace, not all of them "fun" or "interesting". I'm more a creature of creation than a creature of habit. I prefer to create beauty -- crafts, words, baking, anything -- than succumb to the drudgery of cleaning. It's mundane. Even when it gets nice results. But it's not my gifting, not my strong point at all. And we have a large family -- eight people in one house. That's a lot of meals, laundry. Cleaning. Hours of homework help. Juggling schedules to try to spend time with everyone.

I know it's been done on larger scales and smaller scales, but this is our scale. We had talked dreamily years ago of the large family we would have. And God knit together a wonderful family for us! Five adopted children first. Beautiful, healthy children. With emotional issues and some learning issues. Then one biological child. A happy child. Ironically the one who is sick most often. And two babies after that who did not have the chance to be born, but who we lost through miscarriage. It's been rough. I question and cry, even as I try to accept. And I lose my temper. Sometimes quite easily. It's hard to see immediate results in parenting. Most things you do for your children won't be recognized until they are older. It's a lot of work. Some people say it's a thankless job. I wouldn't agree with that, but it's definitely not one that always produces immediate results or immediate gratification. And I struggle with that. I like to feel appreciated and I even enjoy being thanked for what I accomplish. But...I don't do everything I should do in a day. And I stumble in my efforts to feel like I belong overall. I feel awkward when I talk to other women. Some of them seem to juggle their careers and their families quite nicely. Some of them do one or the other, but not both. I just never know what to say when someone asks how I am, because I think most of the time I go out of my way to step out from what I think I ought to do. But what I ought to do and what I actually do are not always the same.

I've discovered something. Finally. I wish I'd known it earlier in life. The world says that I can have it all. I know that I cannot. The world says that I can and should expect -- even demand -- "me" time...But that's not necessarily true. If I really want to embrace the role that I've been blessed to have - and often take for granted - I need to be selfless. To rise when I might otherwise sleep a while longer. To stay in and get things done around the house when I might otherwise go out and shop or sit at the bookstore or a cafe somewhere wasting time. To save money when I might otherwise squander it on something for myself. To forego the cozy chair and good book so I can help with homeschooling or homework or just participate in a family night activity. To run children to practices, games, friends' houses or even school, if the three who attend public school miss the bus, instead of staying in my nice, warm house. To forego a nice steak dinner for two out at a fancy restaurant in order to feed the whole family on our limited budget. To choose to bend to others' desires in myriad ways when I might otherwise choose to put myself first...

When I choose me above others, I am not putting Him first. I am neglecting the Greatest Commandment -- to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." (Luke 10:27). To live this out -- to put this into practice daily -- means being able to be self-less, even if the rest of the world is encouraging me to be self-ish.

And this is where I fall short so many times! The need for His grace, so that I can pick myself up and walk rightly with Him, is so evident, so crystal clear. And for that I am ever so thankful! Because it wasn't always clear. There were days when I didn't consider that I was walking outside of His commands, even while I was neglecting the one thing He was calling me to do -- to give up myself willingly, lovingly even, and pour all I had into serving others. And not just my own immediate family...There is a whole world of hurting, lonely, bruised and battered people who need His love brought to them through tangible means, and I had not realized for so very long -- for too very long! -- that I could be the one to carry that blessing, to lift up my brethren, to offer the message of hope and redemption, to show compassion and point toward the Cross as the ONLY WAY to find life...

No, I was too busy being judge and jury toward others who I felt did not merit my time and attention. I was too busy rushing to please myself through whatever means -- a shopping spree, "me" time...other things that consumed my thoughts and then my actions. The adversary tailored his trap just for me...He knew I had been pampered and spoiled and therefore expected certain things to go my way or I'd cry foul and get easily frustrated and give up my walk...I hate that he was so right...

Which is why His grace is something I crave. I cannot get enough. And the amazing thing about grace is that the more you experience it, the more you want to share it with others. You finally start to become the selfless person you were intended to be...Instead of hoarding that last piece of chocolate cake so you get your fill and fair share, you want others to taste of it, to experience the richness of it...To crave it for themselves and therefore seek it too. You find yourself open to His prompting to smile at family, friends, strangers...To give more generously of your time and talents and even possessions. To let go of the clenched fists so that your hands are open to the blessing. To want to turn your life into a gift for others because of His gift to you. To live the way He intended -- loving the Lord God and your neighbor. With your whole heart, no longer reserving any of it for yourself but offering it as a sacrifice of praise to Him, the Creator who gives grace. Abundant grace. Amazing grace. Merciful grace. Loving grace. Grace!

Priorities

We all have them...or so we think. We line up "must do this" and "have to do that" til we have no other time to do, well, anything...We are busy from sun-up to sun-down. Our moments are filled with the busy-ness of life. We rush in this hectic and fast-paced space we've carved out for ourselves and our family until, at the end of the day, we tumble into bed exhausted. And just before drifting off to sleep we hear that still, small voice that has been pleading for time with us...His voice. Calling. Beckoning. And we...

Well, we forgot. We simply didn't have a second to remember -- not with all of the appointments and errands and work, the raising of children and the cementing of marriage and the fostering of community taking up oh-so-much of our day -- that He wanted to spend time with us. That He, the Creator of the Universe, who knit us together and breathed His life and love into our very souls, wanted time. With us.

But it's too late, the day is gone, another day left behind in the dust where we may have accomplished much or may have accomplished little, but the one thing -- the most amazing and most important thing we could have done -- was left undone and lacking. We neglected Him. We failed to set aside a holy time to commune with Him. We abandoned Him to our own set of skewed priorities and "must do" lists and went on our spinning selfish way barreling along through the day and now, finally at the end of the day, we realize that we neglected the one thing, the very thing, that could have refreshed and renewed us!

Are your "priorities" robbing you of your time with the Heavenly Father? Or is He your priority?

I pray that you will set aside a special time to spend with the One who made you, who loves and desires you, who is jealous for you.

Blessings,
~Mary

Overflowing with Gratitude...

I am thanking God. Intentially. Thoughtfully. Purposely reflecting on all that He has accomplished, all that He has done, for me and through me. My heart overflows with gratitude that I often leave buried there, waiting...waiting like a caterpillar, cocooned. But in the busy-ness of everyday life, wrapped deep in the worries and cares of this world that I should abandon, I sometimes lose sight of those blessings. Yet...just as the butterfly eventually breaks free from that shell and bursts forth, a new creation at last, so this gratitude bursts forth from my soul. Today my soul finally removes itself - at least for now - from all the burdens and all the problems and all the myriad and mundane things that life has offered of late that the adversary uses to try to steal my joy - and I am able to lift my hands to the great expanse of the heavens where my Creator -- my FATHER -- sits and leans His ear closer to me -- to ME! -- to hear this love and this gratitude and this praise roll from my lips like the deep belly laugh of a child, a joy I can no longer contain.

He has been exceedingly and abundantly merciful over and above anything I could ever have dreamed or have dared to hope for myself, and I know this -- I know it way deep down in the very crevices of my soul, where shadows of doubt have tried to cling but can no longer remain, for I have experienced this miracle and my soul is illuminated with grace and the knowledge -- oh blessed and beautiful knowledge! -- that He has noticed me, that He has heard my desperation and lifted the darkness from my situation, that He has rescued me...That HE LOVES ME! He beheld my fear and trembling and called me into the shelter of His wings where I am safe -- so safe at last! The situation is no longer the conquerer. I need not flee from His covering...I can dwell there, secure in His promises.

Yes, I have so much to be thankful for. My heart overflows with thanksgiving for so many blessings, little things I had tucked away in my heart. I pray to my gracious and merciful and loving Heavenly Father that every single day I will present Him with a ceaseless river of praise, for He has delivered me and given me unspeakable joy, and I am filled to the brim with gratitude for His great love and compassion!

Anticipaton

It always gets me excited to see my children eagerly awaiting something, so excited they are ready to burst with happiness and joy and a mixture of something I can’t put into words. It’s one of the reasons I love homeschooling — that it is I, and not some other adult, who has the amazing privilege of not only seeing that anticipation, but who also has the opportunity to build upon it, watching it bud and blossom into accomplishment.

I thought of this because the weather man (er, woman…) made an announcement today that got my children excited…There is snow in the forecast for the weekend! We talked about whether or not there will be enough precipitation so that it will actually snow a lot and whether or not it will be cold enough that the snow will actually lay, since we’ve seen snowflakes this season at least several times. Besides being a great science lesson about the seasons or about how snow is made (and only God can make snow, no matter what the ski resort thinks!), the prediction has given my children something to look forward to with anticipation…to turn over in their minds and to ponder and consider and apply their knowledge, such as it is.

This time of year there is so much busy-ness that I enjoy the chance to slow down and reflect. I think that for myself and for my children the anticipation of Christmas gifts, snow, Santa, family visits, sweets and treats, and the magical appearance the world takes on as it is decorated by man and by nature gives us much to look forward to. We know that something extraordinary is about to happen.

I think spiritually, too, I look forward in anticipation…I celebrate the amazing miracle of the virgin birth, the willing obedience of a little Hebrew girl who unselfishly stepped into faith and became part of God’s redemption plan for mankind, and the awesome and unfathomable reality of Emmanuel — God with us…The lyrics “Fragile fingers sent to heal us, tender brow prepared for thorn…Tiny heart whose blood will save us…” come to life for me as I consider the inexplicable gift of a loving and merciful Heavenly Father, whose love for us was so great that He sent His only Son, to be wounded and pierced and rejected so that we could live. I look forward to celebrating all of that with a sense of awe, wonder and anticipation!

Hearts of Thanksgiving

Well, over the month of November, in order to make the theme of "Thanksgiving" really come alive for each of my children, we lingered at the table after the supper dishes were cleared and then went around the table, each expressing what we were thankful for. I think that this really cultivated in me, especially, a heart of thanksgiving for the many blessings God has provided. To that end, I have started a Heart of Thanksgiving blessing journal, where each day I take time to reflect on the blessings that have come my way. Sometimes in the hectic pace of living, in the daily battle with the world and the flesh, it is so easy to lose sight of those little things -- a child's cherished smile, the thoughtful kiss of a husband, the answered prayer, the unexpected phone call or letter...But in using my little journal, I've come to really see how the Lord is so very gracious and good to me, despite me, and how He really is a good and loving Father who wants me to notice all those things He does for me...Much like I appreciate when my children notice all that I have done for them in the name of not merely duty or obligation, but out of unconditional and unending love. It has been a wonderful and joyful thing for me to give those moments of reflection to the Lord in praise with a heart of thanksgiving for all He has done and all He has yet to do! Enjoy a very blessed and merry Christmas!!!

Eat From the Pantry Challenge to Give....

When I originally started this challenge, the year was fresh and the slate was clean, and I had high hopes for a better start to 2010 than the last few years have brought our family. I thought that I might use the money we saved to surprise my husband with some extra money to pay off our mortgage at the end of the year, but with the recent tragedy in Haiti God has laid it on my heart to give some extra toward those suffering. My home church is having a special offering this weekend that will go directly to Missionary partners we have sent to help in this time of dire need and sorrowful crisis. To that end, I am going to pray and seek the Lord in what amount, exactly, He would have us give. I think that it is important to look at those citizens in Haiti as brothers and sisters in Christ. It saddens me to even need to state something that should be so obvious to those of us who walk with Him, but there are so many people with a terrible worldview who do not embrace those who are suffering and reach out to them in His Name. I pray that those who survived the terrors of the earthquake are able to find peace in the days to come, help where they most need it and a spiritual cleansing possible only through the blood of Christ. Please take a moment today and pray for your brothers and sisters in Haiti.

God's blessings,
~mary

Eat from the Pantry Challenge...continued!

I got a little behind with my updates. In fact, I am a little under the weather today, and have spent the majority of my day trying to rest and generally feel a little better. So far, I still have a headache, but I am praying that I can be joyful when my husband comes home.

On Monday, I confess I went to the grocery store. Mainly because we needed a few things like milk and fresh produce. I ended up not spending any money out of pocket, because we'd received a gift certificate for Christmas. The nice thing about that was that I also managed to come in under budget and still have a few dollars left to spend on the gift certificate!

I can't remember where I left off with the pantry meals -- I think the last one I recorded was before date night with my husband. So in general, we've polished off the clementines and some oranges and bananas for snacks, the kiddies ate cereal and instant oatmeal we had for breakfasts while I stuck to the old-fashioned oatmeal with slivered almonds, agave nectar and some kind of fruit if we had it. For lunches, we have used up leftovers and, on days where there were no leftovers to be had, ate ramen noodle soup or pb&j.

Dinners were a little more challenging. One night we had ground turkey with sauteed veggies over whole wheat pasta. I also made meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans and apple sauce (from a jar though, not homemade this time, since I was down to one apple -- didn't think it would stretch to feed all 8 of us!). The night my husband went hunting, 5 of the 6 kiddies went to sleepovers so Sammy and I used coupons and ate at Burger King. This was a very RARE treat, because we generally as a rule do not do fast food, but he was excited and the meal was very, very cheap with the coupon! Then last night I made something akin to chicken parmesean over linguine, but I'd forgotten to bread the chicken! So it was close, and a meal everyone enjoyed despite that small slip-up! Tonight we have a roast on that will now not languish in the freezer, complete with onions, potatoes and carrots (all of which I had!). Oh -- and somewhere in there I made three loaves of homemade whole wheat bread with homemade honey butter, and doctored up a loaf of store-bought Italian bread, splitting it and brushing with garlic butter and broiling to come up with a fresh garlic bread. We will probably finish up the whole wheat bread tonight, which will mean I need to make more of some type of bread tomorrow. It's getting to be so nice not to have to buy bread at the store anymore.

On top of this, we've used fresh fruits, cheeses (from Christmas!) or leftover ice cream to snack on for desserts.

Not too bad. We are so very blessed. I am especially thinking of that today as I am praying for those in Haiti who have been lost or who lost loved ones or who are just trying to help put things back together again. God's mercies are so good, and I am praying that this tragedy will draw people closer to Him, and that we who are not directly affected will be thankful for our blessings and mindful of those dear fellow humans who have and may currently be suffering.

God bless you and draw you ever closer!
~mary

Some quick thoughts

I have been very committed to trying the "Eat from the Pantry Challenge" and have been devoting a regular time every day to writing about it. In doing so, I wonder if I am neglecting other thoughts and topics that might be more meaningful -- both for me and for any of my readers. I find that I can get so off-track when I am left unaccountable, and maybe that is why I've felt compelled to post about my progress. However, I started to wonder if maybe I need to be accountable in other things as well. So I am taking the rest of the evening to pray and reflect on some of the goals I have for 2010. In doing so I am hoping to re-think the direction I'm going in to a certain extent, because I want to accomplish so much more than I have in the past. I am hoping, dear readers, that you will bear with me while I struggle with my thoughts, and that you won't think it too chaotic of me if I change my pattern and pace. For now, I will probably keep my focus on my pantry challenge, but I might add other posts for other areas. Because I am considering expanding my thoughts, I will try to start organizing my posts a little better in the future. Thank you all so much for being so loving and patient, and inspiring and challenging, and for keeping me accountable!

blessings!!
~mary

Pantry Challenge Day 5

Well all, there really is no great update for today, because today was Date Night!!!

We did eat breakfast and lunch at home though. For breakfast the kiddies finished off the rice with milk, cinnamon and sugar, and I had oatmeal with agave nectar and almond slivers (but no strawberries because I ran out!). For lunch, I made up three packets of ramen noodle soup and added about 1/4 cup of alphabet noodles we buy in bulk, plus about 1/4 of a package of frozen veggies. This kind of extends the soup for us. The kiddies had navel oranges for a snack, and I had a clementine, and then later for an after school snack there were leftover Christmas cookies we are working our way through.

Now to explain about the date night. First of all, my husband and I received money from grandparents for Christmas, and one thing I purchased that I thought might enrich our marriage was an entertainment guide for 2010 for our area. I thought that it would be a nice way to save money while indulging in a regular date night to enhance our marriage. Anyway...


My six children attend a Bible Club down the road. The family that runs it as their ministry are very generous with their dedication to the program. They not only pick up and drop off all the children that attend (ages 5 and up!), they also provide a meal in addition to the Bible study and song time. Our family has been so very blessed by the sweet and constant outreach that this family provides. One of the extra benefits is that once in a while Les and I will decide to have a date night out. This gives us some much-needed time to talk about family goals and such. We did that tonight.

It was so nice to sit across from my husband and talk about some of the things we hoped to accomplish in our family for 2010 without the constant interruption of little ones -- or bigger ones -- and the ever-present vying for attention that can sometimes sabotage a marital relationship if the parents are not committed to making their marriage a priority. It's not that the children are not important, but we have always believed in making our marriage the first priority and the children second. After all, some day they will move on in whatever direction God calls them. We wanted to always keep a strong friendship and partnership and love for one another so that when the empty nest occurs we still have love and appreciation for each other and still have fun.

So. Although today did find me using food stores for breakfast, lunch and snacks, I blessedly did not have to cook a meal tonight! And even though we spent a little money, it was a nice and enjoyable evening! God bless all of you! More updates on our challenge tomorrow!

~mary

Hi everyone! I absolutely love the bags that Megan has offered at

http://www.halfpinthouse.com/2010/01/just-in-time-for-valentines-day-buildabag.html

Please check them out if you have time. She is so very creative!!!

Pantry Challenge Day 4

Well, folks, I'm still participating in the Eat from the Pantry challenge. My 9 yo daughter asked today what a pantry was, and I explained that it is kind of a place where we store food. Then she wanted examples, so I went on to tell her that all of our stored food was kind of in a pantry. That led me to start thinking about exactly how we do store our food, and I was amazed to find that we have a lot of different places where we keep our food stores -- we have 2 freezers in the basement, a shelf for canned goods in the basement, several bins with miscellaneous snacks and cereals I'd stocked up on before, cans stacked in pyramids (or towers, depending on what my 5 yo decides) next to one of my hutches, a jelly cupboard full of, well, jellies and even some homemade pickles and store-bought staples like peanut butter and olive oil, and the bookshelves and other niches in the kitchen that happen to be stacked with food. God is just so very gracious!! That was a lot more than I'd thought. In fact, I even have a plastic bag (like from the supermarket) hanging from the curtain tie bar that contains two bags of potato chips we didn't end up opening on New Year's Eve.

So I do have a lot of food in the house, somewhere. The question then becomes How do I know what I have? and How can I find what I need when I want it? So my goal, after eating up our stores of food this month, will be to re-organize what I have and where I put it. I am trying to be more thoughtful about it and will post my ideas when I come up with a workable plan. For now, though, here was today's menu:

For breakfast the kiddies had leftover white rice (from supper last night) heated with milk, sugar and cinnamon. I had oatmeal with agave nectar, strawberries and slivered almonds. It was filling for me and should keep my glucose levels pretty stable. For lunch all the kiddies had ramen noodle soup. I had to take a friend to the doctor, and he ended up getting admitted to the hospital, so his wife asked if I could stop at Burger King, where she had coupons and we ate lunch together. In situations like that I don't want to be ungenuine in my concern or snobbish about her thoughtfulness, so even though I had to veer off my diet for a meal, I didn't feel the least bit guilty about it. While en route to the hospital, I called my 14 yo daughter and had her go down and see what kind of meat was in the freezer. I had some ham in there that was pre-sliced and bagged into different meal servings (ie, steaks, cubed, etc.). She brought up two baggies of ham that was sliced in steaks, and I used some yellow- and green- split peas I had, along with carrots, celery, onion, garlic and a leek, plus a little salt and pepper, to make a split pea soup. Because I personally do not eat pork products, I cooked the ham separate and added it to each serving bowl. This made the meat actually stretch a little further, and I didn't have to flavor my own serving of soup with the ham (though I have to admit it smelled really yummy!). For bed snacks the kiddies had ice cream. I snacked on a peeled and sliced cucumber off and on all day (small slices!) and was pretty satisfied. I also drank a LOT of water today, which is really nice because with the heater on this time of year I often feel my skin wanting to dry up.

I hope you are all enjoying God's faithful provision. God bless you and keep you!
~mary

Pantry Challenge Day 3

Hi everyone! I hope that you are all doing well and have been blessed by the pantry challenge if you're participating.

I was listening to a sermon on the radio today about giving and thought that it would be nice to take some of the money that we save and consider it for helping others, whether that be donating it to a local charity, adding it to our regular giving or missions giving at church or finding someone who is in need and lending a helping hand in a practical and tangible way. We kind of did that around Christmas time, when we stretched some money out of our Christmas budget to be a blessing to a loved one. Someone knocked on our door and gave us a gift certificate to a local store in the exact same amount. God really loves it when we try to reach others, and even if we had not gotten anything back at all, we felt so good to be a blessing! He knows the attitude of our hearts. I love the passage in 2 Corinthians 9, which talks about this. Paul is talking to the church at Corinth about sowing, and reaping from what has been sowed, stating:

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." ~2 Corinthians 9:7-8

I think the Lord is really working on my heart in this for 2010. It's not that I haven't considered giving before -- I have given, and I do give when I can. Giving, to me, is more than just sending in a check. Sometimes it's giving time, or talents, or even something as simple as taking a neighbor to a doctor appointment. Or making a phone call or writing a letter or stopping in to visit. Or leaving coupons (that have not expired) on a shelf next to an item for someone who might truly need them. But I really want to be more purposeful in my giving this year, to reach out in a more practical way. And I'm not sure quite yet what that might mean, but I am trying to be still enough to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in this.

I am starting to see that saving money this month can bless more than just my husband and family. And so I am determined to stick with the pantry challenge as much as I can, and maybe take it even through February. But we'll have to see how that works out, because I am not so unrealistic as to think that I've stocked up quite that much food, and as I wrote previously, I do want to make things that are nutritious where I can, which means fresh produce and dairy.

Today we all woke up late. This actually translates to: Will and Emma, my only children in public school, missed the bus -- which also meant that they missed breakfast. And that I had to rush to get them there. We walked into the building right after they finished the announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance, so we were not terribly late. But we all had fruit on the way. Lunch was leftovers from last night's supper. Which was good because I don't have them lingering in the back of the fridge like some homeschool science experiment gone wrong!

For supper tonight I made rice, with enough extra for other meals like breakfasts this week, and thawed and cooked what I consider a taco-flavored ground beef. Basically it was rice topped with the meat mixture. And I had so much more ground beef thawed than I thought that I ended up cooking it all together then separating enough for another day's meal. I froze the extra meat, put the extra cooked rice in the fridge and was pretty satisfied with how the meal turned out. Most everyone wanted seconds too, and I had just enough after removing the planned leftovers -- because if you leave it til after the meal, there's not enough left 90% of the time (last night was a rareity).

The kiddies enjoyed ice cream cups for a bedtime snack, and Les ate the last piece of Hershey pie that was in the freezer. So now those temptations are gone for the moment. Now I need to find a nice late night snack/dessert that will work to satisfy my cravings but not add on pounds or make my blood sugar skyrocket. That will probably take a while and maybe a bit of experimenting, but for tonight I just had water and while it wasn't as satisfying in a taste sense, it was nice to know that I did not eat something I probably should not have. I am trying to keep an honest food journal, so I don't want to overdo it.

Anyway, putting together meals using what I already have has been good so far. I am hoping to develop a pantry list this weekend and then come up with a skeleton menu using the items we have, but for now I'm just winging it day by day, and praying that He will really help me to stick to my plans. I am so glad He is faithful! Hope you all enjoy a good night's rest and wake up feeling refreshed!

blessings,
~mary

Pantry Challenge Day 2

Today I was ambitious when I got up, but then I did Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and changed my mind about some things....It's not that I changed my mind about the whole pantry challenge, but I think I need to re-work my cooking plans just a little. So, here's what I came up with today:

For breakfast I had homemade oatmeal with strawberries, almonds and a little agave nectar. The kiddies finished up some cereal that we opened not that long ago, which is good because sometimes the milk sours if no one gets to it. Not the case this time, thankfully! For a mid-morning snack to help learn to eat more healthfully and use up some of the produce I purchased, I had two clementines. The kiddies had pan cookies I made the other day that survived the hubby, and bananas and oranges somewhere in there too.

When it was time for lunch we'd gotten quite a bit of homeschooling done, which pleased me immensely. It was a good start to the new year, and I'm hopeful we don't lose any of the momentum we had. It's so easy to get a good start on something but then get caught up or busy or distracted or...well, a number of things. I am really praying each day that the Lord will help us to plow forward, even if it's in little baby steps. That's sooo much better than remaining stagnent in my opinion. So for lunch I made a pizza with dough I'd had in the freezer, pepperoni and cheese we had left from the holiday and sauce I'd used in something a few days ago and had just enough left over. When the other two kiddies got home from public school, everyone was allowed to have a piece of chocolate and a cookie just to get rid of it and not let it go to waste! I ended up making a lot of cookies, toffee and fudge (the real kind from scratch, with no marshmallow at all), so we have snacks through the end of the week at least!

I was not really sure what I wanted to do about dinner. I had asked one of the kiddies to bring some ground beef up from the freezer yesterday, but he forgot...and I forgot to double-check this morning. So. It was dinner time and I didn't know what to do. What I ended up with was a concoction of pasta sauce that I made by sauteeing a Vidalia onion (I never use any other kind!), red pepper and one yellow squash in olive oil with salt, pepper, a pinch of oregano and a dash of sugar. When that got nice and soft, I added a few grape tomatoes that I quartered, along with some finely chopped spinach, and a can of crushed tomatoes (my secret shortcut in most cases). I served this delicious and nutritious sauce over pasta I had in the cupboard. It was a nice way to sneak in veggies, although I can't complain that my children are picky very often. But still, they didn't even realize how many veggies were in the sauce. As a treat, instead of water (which we drink with almost every meal and all day every day), I let the kiddies finish up the soda we'd gotten to make punch on New Year's, and it was just enough for a little cup each. We finished off the homemade bread from yesterday too (which is my cue to make more tomorrow!), and for bed snacks the kiddies each had a pan cookie.

Hopefully tomorrow we're having homemade bread, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans or a side salad, but I'll let you know how that turns out! In the alternative a friend just sent me a recipe for a soup that is similar to a cheeseburger-type soup, and I can't wait to try that. I think, though, that I am out of one of the ingredients and so it might have to wait til next month. We'll see!

I hope God is richly blessing you in this new year and that you are following His lead in your life! God bless!!!!

~mary

Pantry Challenge Day 1

I had a great day today! First of all, four of the kiddies slept over a friend's house, so I made eggs and toast for Les before he went on no-heat service calls (and was subsequently gone all day long...), and hard-boiled eggs for the other two kiddies and myself, accompanied by oranges, for breakfast. For lunch we had some tomato soup, solely due to the cold. For supper I was going to put together chicken and dumplings, but I had baked two loaves of bread so we were low on flour. Instead, I used what I had to concoct a chicken, leek and veggie soup. This went great with the hot and crusty bread -- which I served with homemade honey butter spread (using up some of the butter I had stocked up on for Christmas baking). To top off this meal, I made chocolate chip pan cookies. Les loves these, and since he'd worked so hard both yesterday and today, I thought it was a nice way to show my love and appreciation.

I did go to the grocery store, but I only went to purchase dish soap and laundry soap because we were in dire need of both -- funny, I must've forgotten to stock up during December because I usually have back-ups in abundance! So I did pay a little more than I would normally, but Les was in need of work clothes since he worked through the weekend, and that just couldn't wait til our usual trip to Walmart for things like paper towels, toiletries and such. I did add three other cleaning items to my trip that we probably could have waited on, but I wanted to get a good start on cleaning this week. I spent just under $20 and was pretty frustrated that I hadn't had a chance to look for a sale or coupons. However, I know that I am low on those specific items so I can keep an eye out for sales in the next few weeks. The nice thing is that we can hold off on our Walmart trip -- maybe even til next month if all goes well and the kiddies don't waste what toiletries we have by purposeful spills or the like. So yay!!!

I am really praying about being more purposeful in my planning, and in my spending, and in taking time in general to show my family how much I love them. I know that the Lord has been calling me to prepare a little more too. So this pantry challenge is helping me to think a little creatively about how I can fulfill several goals. One thing I especially want to do in this is to rely more on His grace and wisdom - and less on my own self. Sometimes I worry so much about doing everything "just so", and in this I think I can learn to improvise a little and to trust that He can meet the needs of our family in various ways. Meanwhile, I am praying to be a blessing to others. Today I had the opportunity to drive a car-less neighbor to the hospital for a sleep study. While sometimes this does not seem like much to me, or even maybe to others, it gives me a chance to do "something" just where I am. As a busy homeschooling mother, sometimes I feel like I don't do enough. But I am praying that He will lead me to do that "something", even if it seems small and insignificant to me.

Anyway, we'll see how things go tomorrow. I am really looking forward to emptying the freezer so nothing is wasted, and getting it cleaned and defrosted in time for next month, where I will attempt a Once a Month (or maybe slightly modified) cooking plan! So stay tuned....

Eat from the Pantry Challenge

Well, I have several goals in mind that I set for myself this year...Of course there are the usual goals for Bible study, reading lists, homeschooling, etc. But this year I really and truly want to be a blessing to my husband.

I am in charge of a certain amount of money every month, out of which I usually pay the electric bill, the cable/internet, the cell phones (now our only phones!) and the groceries, in addition to kiddie activities. Well, just saving it seemed like a nice idea, and I am sure that I am going to work on that. But I was so impressed by Crystal's ability to put her trust in the Lord and actually achieve her family's financial goal (see her post at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/) that I determined I wanted to work on being that kind of blessing for my husband and family too. I think the best way I can do this is to save money and present my husband with a sizeable (if not all) portion of the money to pay off our Home Equity Line of Credit we got when we were a little more naive about our finances. This is going to be a pretty lofty goal for me, as I grew up in a home where "entitlement" was practiced, if not named, and I have always had a hard time with money because of that. However, I think that being able to pull this off will be such a wonderful surprise for my husband (so shhhhhh!).

So to start working toward this goal, I'm going to attempt to participate in the Eat from the Pantry challenge (http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/12/eat-from-the-pantry-challenge-my-goals-and-plans-and-come-link-up-yours-too.html). Our family ran low on some paper and cleaning products, so we'll need to run to the store for things like toothpaste, dish soap and laundry detergent. But I am going to try to use sales and coupons for those things, or make what I can from scratch with what I have on hand. Then we will limit our other purchases to milk, eggs and maybe some fresh fruits and veggies for the remainder of the month. Not that we always eat from a box or anything, but we have quite a bunch of stuff in the cupboard and in the freezer that should be eaten anyway, and poor and lazy planning often causes me to stop at the store for "one more thing" to make a meal, when a substitute or some creativity would have saved us money too. And -- this will also give me a chance to empty the cupboards of some of the things my kiddies love that might not be the healthiest and re-stock in the future with fresh foods.

I am really very excited and can't wait to see how the menu comes together for the rest of the month! I hope some of you will share your ideas for meals using what you have on hand! And in preparation for future meals, I am looking into Once a Month Cooking too, so if you have any recipes that are tried and true, please share those too! My family of 8 eats just about anything -- I am the pickiest and since I am the chef that usually doesn't work out too bad!! I will let you know how much money I squeeze into a savings account at the end of the month!

Outside my window...I see the streetlight illuminating the foggy darkness.
I am thinking...that the Lord has given me so many things to be thankful for!
I am thankful for...my husband and children, my family and friends, the basics and the faculties to live a productive and happy life.
I am wearing...jeans and a dressy black shirt -- but getting ready to go to bed shortly!
I am remembering...my babies, my grandmother and grandfather, and my mother-in-law who are waiting for me in Heaven.
I am going...to rest before I have to get up and cook!
I am reading..."Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations" by Alex and Brett Harris.
I am hoping...that it will be a white Christmas!
On my mind...I am praying for those who are in need, are alone, or feel they have nothing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
From the learning rooms...we had a light week this week, although we talked about thankfulness and tried some craft projects.
Noticing that...I can't sleep tonight for some reason.
Pondering these words..."God has a lot to say on the subject of how women are to view and relate to those in authority over them..." (From "So Much More" by Anna Sofia Botkin and Elizabeth Botkin)
From the kitchen...Smells wonderful -- I made homemade applesauce for our Thanksgiving meal.
Around the house...I am trying to keep things neat and tidy, and am enjoying the last few days of my fall decor.
One of my favorite things...is to hear what my children have to say about being thankful and praising God for our blessings!!!
From my picture journal...nothing today...

You can also participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook by visiting her blog at www.thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com

Something Worth Celebrating...

Forty-two years ago today, two people were joined together in holy matrimony -- and are still married! That may not seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but in the current climate so prevalent in today's culture, it is something certainly worthy of notice and celebration. However, I am very thankful for my parents, and for the love and morals and values that were practiced in our home and served as examples...Sure, there were times when the example was more of what not to do....but the joys I recall from my childhood centered on the practice of faith, the model of love and the immersion of living out values like trust, honesty, hard work, courage, and commitment...



For thousands of years couples have joined together and created the core of society -- the family. However, these days families are so -- dare I say it? -- disjointed, immoral...just plain wrong. And often they certainly do not always model what the Almighty set in place. I don't want to criticize anyone's circumstances, but I do want to point out that the key to staying together for 42 years -- or more, God willing -- is commitment. That seems to be lacking in many "try it on first" relationships, that often end up being temporary. In fact, I know many people who signed mortgage papers with a partner before they walked down the aisle, and even with the poor excuse of finances and economy, it is just unthinkable to me. I am not discounting faith in this equation -- commitment is easier when God is in the midst and the couple in question have a solid foundation in faith.



My parents have shared many joys, many sorrows. I have witnessed their arguments, their apologies, their love and their thoughtfulness in so many ways...Little things, done or said, a tender look or touch. I am thankful for that.



A committed spouse will be there "...for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, etc...." The Lord knows I have been blessed with a husband who has stood by me through illnesses, two miscarriages and the depression that went along with it, and who has always been a steady rock by my side, giving support and holding my hand whenever I needed it. We've gone through many financial ups and downs, have supported one another when in pursuit of various goals and dreams, and have cried to one another when things went sour. My husband has been -- and remains -- a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board for my thoughts, dreams and ideas, and sometimes the one I vent to when I am frustrated, angry or sad. I cannot imagine that someone with a less-than-stellar level of commitment would still be here, day in, day out, experiencing and sharing the drudgery of life (at times) with me. It's not that there are not sunny days -- there are many. But someone without commitment may feel the need to pursue the sun and leave the dark days behind them., whether many or few in number.



And so it's appropriate to take the time to celebrate a marriage that has succeeded where many have not, to thank God for His joining of the couple and for His blessing on their relationship. I know that I am thankful for the model I had growing up and pray that my husband and I can model the best qualities for our children too.



Happy Anniversary, Mommy & Daddy!!! I love you both so much!!!

A Thankful Heart

This Thanksgiving season I have been taking time to contemplate about the things that the Lord God has done for our family, rather than focus on the negative and distressing things that have occurred over the last year or so...

First, and most importantly, I am thankful to Almighty God for His love, grace and mercy. His amazing gift in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ guarantees those who call upon His Name a place in heaven, free from the eternal damnation in hell -- which is sadly these days a message oft overlooked in the effort to allow everyone to "feel good". However, without such a precious and wonderful gift, there would be no hope of anything after death. But through Christ's sacrifice, we have hope, and we can cling to that hope whether times are easy or hard to bear, knowing that we have the victory at the end through Christ.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful loving and hard-working husband, who has a job (another thing to be thankful for in this difficult and trying economy!). I enjoy his friendship, the conversations we have, the fun activities we engage in and just his presence overall. I am thankful for the children the Lord has loaned to me and pray that I do them justice in raising them to know Him and honor Him. I am thankful for my parents and my in-laws, who raised both my husband and myself with a sense of morals and values that have withstood the tests placed upon us by time and a culture that seems to have turned away from things worthy and of value to embrace the fleeting pursuits of life that bring only temporary pleasure. I am thankful for the confidences I have shared with my beloved sister, the joy I have had in spending time with her and with my nieces and nephew, and the good-natured pranks and teasing that are part of our relationship.

I am thankful for my health, which although not perfect, allows me to experience life using all my senses and faculties...and I don't know that I always remember to thank Him just because of that reason alone. I would not be able to pursue my favorite activities - reading, writing, crafting singing, and baking to name a few - if it were not for the abilities that the Lord has granted me with in His mercy and love, and it is some of these things that distinguish me as unique and individual from among the other amazing creations He has wrought with His mighty hands!

Despite the current discouraging climate in this political arena of late, I am so blessed to live in a country where I can read God's Word without fear of arrest or torture, that I can instruct my children in His ways, that I can praise Him anywhere and everywhere I go, and that I have the freedom to worship in those ways. I am so thankful for the men and women who have fought and are fighting to protect our freedoms, from those who journeyed here before the Europeans did, for those who braved the seas and came, and for those who melded together for the common goal of creating a nation where freedom and liberty were paramount and thus secured...I am thankful for those who rose up in courage to speak out against dictators, heresies and the like to grant us all the opportunity to pursue freedom and happiness and who joined together to create the republic form of government which allows each of us to be part of the political system and elect leaders we believe will be trustworthy to bear the burdens of governing over the small towns, rural areas, cities, counties, states and nation we hold dear.

I praise God for all of these gifts and more -- family and friends, neighbors and brothers and sisters in Christ here and around the world, food, clothing, shelter -- there are abundant blessings to count and we should all take time more than once each year to offer praise and thanksgiving to the Heavenly Father for His mercy and grace.

May you all experience a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!!!